1. They won in Boston. In Oklahoma City. They lost at home, but won the next night in Memphis. If you're a Cavs fan, your heart has to be beating stronger since Koby Altman rebuilt the roster.

2. The Cavs are 3-1 with the additions of Larry Nance Jr., Jordan Clarkson, Rodney Hood and George Hill. But I maintain they are 5-1. Here's why. They beat Minnesota at home in a game where LeBron James was told big changes were coming the next day. Then they went Atlanta and beat the Hawks -- even though the new guys had joined the team but were not permitted to play until the trade was finalized.

3. The spark happened because Altman's trades lit a fire under LeBron James. The Cavs star has a brilliant NBA mind. Former Cavs General Manager David Griffin often said, "LeBron is a basketball savant." James could see how the trades would impact the course of the season even before the players hit the court with the Cavs.

4. James knew this would truly be his team. He would not be sharing the ball with Isaiah Thomas ... or, to a lesser extent, Dwyane Wade. James loves to be in control of all he can, on or off the court. If James desires, he can bring the ball up the court every time he's on the court. That creates more player movement and better spacing. It also plays into his passing instincts.

5. I'll show my age, but I've always believed James is at his best when he plays the Magic Johnson role. He guides the offense. When needed, he can be a freight train roaring to the rim. Or he can start his drive and then pass off to open long-range shooters.

6. James also knows a team must play reasonable defense to contend to a title. That's why he became extremely excited when he heard the names of the four players possibly coming to Cleveland. Nance loves to defend. He is strong enough to handle big men. He also is quick enough to switch on defense and make life hard for a guard wanting to drive to the rim.

7. Nance is so fundamentally sound. His father (former Cavs star Larry Nance) was his first teacher and laid the foundation. At Revere High, Dean Rahas played a role. I also give a lot of credit to Larry Shyatt. The Cleveland Heights native coached Nance for four years at Wyoming. Shyatt always preached defense.

8. Unlike so many of his peers who were spoiled by recruiting attention and national AAU tournaments, Nance was raised as a basketball player with the gospel of unselfishness. I wrote a story about how his parents didn't expose him to the underbelly of some elite summer basketball leagues. He played four years at Revere, four more at Wyoming. He earned his way to the NBA.

9. Clarkson has been a revelation. I didn't know his game very well. He started at Tulsa, more of a mid-major program. He played there for two years, then transferred to Missouri. He was a second-team All-SEC selection and the 48th pick. That low in the second round means he was not highly regarded. But Clarkson showed he could score and earned a 4-year contract.

10. Another old guy reference: Clarkson is the Vinnie Johnson of the Cavs. The Microwave. Or more modern, he can be the Jamal Crawford. He comes off the bench firing and puts tremendous pressure on the defense.

11. Hood is a beautiful, smooth lefty shooter. Hill is an experienced point guard, trained by the San Antonio Spurs about what it takes to win. The four players just fit with James and the Cavs.

12. The new players give the Cavs depth. Coach Tyronn Lue has them averaging the following minutes: Hill (27), Hood (24), Nance (22) and Clarkson (21). Only Hill starts. So far, the new guys are buying into a team where they don't play as much or shoot as often as they did at various times in their careers. I don't think that will change if they keep winning.

13. In the last five games, J.R. Smith is averaging 12 points, shooting 55 percent (50 percent on 3-pointers). Suddenly, he knows he fits. His confidence is back.

14. In the four games since the trade, the Cavs are averaging 114 points and giving up 102. They were allowing nearly 111 points before the deals.